David wants to leave the house on Shenker Road. He tries, but it calls him back. If he ignores it then the house just tries harder to reclaim him. Something inside of him won't let David just walk away, either. What is it that drives him back through that door time after time?
Knowing his history with the house, why would Melissa ever steer him back into that abyss in the first place?
Why do characters in horror stories always make such poor decisions?!?
We have to look no further than any given newscast to see a myriad of people being arrested and locked away as a result of their poor decision making skills. I think that it's extremely easy for people on the outside to criticize or 'Monday Morning Quarterback' the decisions that people make in stories because they don't fully understand what someone who is desperate, broken, hopeless is capable of rationalizing. Someone who is in that dire of a situation tends to become singularly focused on a goal and, not only ignores more rational means of attaining the goal, is completely unaware of such a possibility. The human psyche is hardwired with several survival mechanisms. A fine example is the fight or flight response. If cornered, an animal (yes, at the end of the day humans are animals driven by instinct) will either lash out at an aggressor or run like heck away from such threat. It doesn't consider the other possibilities such as trickery or submissiveness in the face of danger. There is simply a need to attack or escape.
Teens in a horror movie will run to a basement and hide rather than run screaming out into the night because there is an instinctive safety in finding the darkest, least explored area to hide in. The brain recognizes that it is not a well traveled area and the mind, in panic, finds comfort in having two walls behind it to brace for an impending attack. Running out into the open makes you an open target, like a gazelle on the open Serengeti. It's easy to sit back and say "JUST RUN OUT OF THERE!" without realizing that, if faced with a similar situation, your body would probably flip to autopilot and do the exact same thing that exasperates you when a fictional character does it.
I was really conscious of reactionary behavior like that in my book. David isn't prone to panic, but he definitely has a fight reaction, versus flight. He views the only way out as being through his target rather than around it. There are other forces in David's head, and he is even aware of them, but can't bring himself to quite break completely free of it. Does he make poor decisions? Oh, yes - many. Are they decisions that any of us might also make under similar duress? You may surprise yourself.
Give it a free read on Kindle Unlimited and ask yourself, what would you do in David Bennett's shoes?
The Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett.
https://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Fascinations-David-Bennett-ebook/dp/B07ZG4N2XB
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Monday, November 4, 2019
Can Going Bleak Actually Be a Good Thing?
It's no secret that the world can be a pretty bleak place. Every day we turn on the news and see how it is being torn apart. I used to watch the local news in the mornings but now I just sit in silence or read until my 3 year old gets up. Even the local news has become so saturated with the negativity in the world that it is extremely hard to find the positives in it.
I suppose that was a big factor in my return to writing after a nearly thirty year absence. I wanted to fill the time that I used to spend concerning myself with the outside world with something that I find enjoyable, and can also serve as an outlet for my pent up rage toward the people running our country into the ground.
When I decided to focus on bleak horror I really wasn't sure if it was a great way to contribute to a society already on the brink but, honestly, I have always felt that reading or watching horror is a great way to build appreciation for the positive aspects around you.
When you scare yourself after reading a terrifying book or watching a horror film do you sit around and dwell on the things that may be lurking in your closet or under your bed -- or do you turn on something funny and laugh along. Knowing the darkness tends to make people drift toward the light. It's a basic human instinct to look for security in the face of impending harm.
Maybe, just maybe, people need to have the living crap scared out of them on occasion in order to appreciate the things they do have in their lives.
Of course, it's not the same for everyone. Some people don't like to terrify themselves or read really hopeless literature. That is completely fine. Everyone is different. Frankly, the world would be a much better place if we learned to embrace our differences rather than use them as a wedge of divisionism.
If you're one of the folks who loves bleak, then by all means check out:
https://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Fascinations-David-Bennett-ebook/dp/B07ZG4N2XB
$2.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited!
I suppose that was a big factor in my return to writing after a nearly thirty year absence. I wanted to fill the time that I used to spend concerning myself with the outside world with something that I find enjoyable, and can also serve as an outlet for my pent up rage toward the people running our country into the ground.
When I decided to focus on bleak horror I really wasn't sure if it was a great way to contribute to a society already on the brink but, honestly, I have always felt that reading or watching horror is a great way to build appreciation for the positive aspects around you.
When you scare yourself after reading a terrifying book or watching a horror film do you sit around and dwell on the things that may be lurking in your closet or under your bed -- or do you turn on something funny and laugh along. Knowing the darkness tends to make people drift toward the light. It's a basic human instinct to look for security in the face of impending harm.
Maybe, just maybe, people need to have the living crap scared out of them on occasion in order to appreciate the things they do have in their lives.
Of course, it's not the same for everyone. Some people don't like to terrify themselves or read really hopeless literature. That is completely fine. Everyone is different. Frankly, the world would be a much better place if we learned to embrace our differences rather than use them as a wedge of divisionism.
If you're one of the folks who loves bleak, then by all means check out:
https://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Fascinations-David-Bennett-ebook/dp/B07ZG4N2XB
$2.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited!
Saturday, November 2, 2019
The Solitary Man
David Bennett came from a traumatic background. His parents died at a young age and he never quite found his place in the world. His unspoken childhood and early adulthood obviously left him scared and severely introverted.
In The Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett we see a main character with severe personality 'flaws.' He can't seem to commit to a singular course of action and never feels quite in control of his own mind. Is David insane? Are his experiences embellished by the traumas of his youth? What exactly is going on with him? He is a recluse who, at times, severely resents his way of life - and on other occasions revels in his lonely life.
Some readers may look at this character with pity while many will be able to identify, to an extent, with someone who has been through so much in life that they are just tired and want to be left alone - no matter how solitary and lonely that life may become.
David has only been able to trust a few people in his adult life, and has found a way to alienate the ones who haven't passed away.
What drives David the most is a fear of losing those in his life. His family, and his only close friend, died years ago. He is scared to get close to anyone in fear of being hurt again.
His relationship with Melissa is complicated, but he does love her. David has always felt happy keeping her at a distance, only rekindling their relationship when common tragedy brings them back together.
I felt it was important to have a character at the front and center of this story who is far from perfect, mentally disturbed by his trauma, and unsure how to function in the world anymore. There are a lot of us out there who can relate to that way of thinking. We hit a point in our life where we just sigh and wonder where it all went wrong and why we're so introverted and can't open ourselves up to people.
It is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Our experiences shape us and all that we can do is function within those boundaries that are built within our brains. David is barely likable, curmudgeonly, and antisocial because he has always felt that he was different - with an ability that others have repelled others on top of everything else.
I think more than a few readers might just find a way to feel sympathetic for this poor guy as his life descends into complete torment.
Available now on Kindle Unlimited, or just $2.99 for purchase on eBook/$12.99 in beautiful matte covered paperback.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1701845431
In The Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett we see a main character with severe personality 'flaws.' He can't seem to commit to a singular course of action and never feels quite in control of his own mind. Is David insane? Are his experiences embellished by the traumas of his youth? What exactly is going on with him? He is a recluse who, at times, severely resents his way of life - and on other occasions revels in his lonely life.
Some readers may look at this character with pity while many will be able to identify, to an extent, with someone who has been through so much in life that they are just tired and want to be left alone - no matter how solitary and lonely that life may become.
David has only been able to trust a few people in his adult life, and has found a way to alienate the ones who haven't passed away.
What drives David the most is a fear of losing those in his life. His family, and his only close friend, died years ago. He is scared to get close to anyone in fear of being hurt again.
His relationship with Melissa is complicated, but he does love her. David has always felt happy keeping her at a distance, only rekindling their relationship when common tragedy brings them back together.
I felt it was important to have a character at the front and center of this story who is far from perfect, mentally disturbed by his trauma, and unsure how to function in the world anymore. There are a lot of us out there who can relate to that way of thinking. We hit a point in our life where we just sigh and wonder where it all went wrong and why we're so introverted and can't open ourselves up to people.
It is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Our experiences shape us and all that we can do is function within those boundaries that are built within our brains. David is barely likable, curmudgeonly, and antisocial because he has always felt that he was different - with an ability that others have repelled others on top of everything else.
I think more than a few readers might just find a way to feel sympathetic for this poor guy as his life descends into complete torment.
Available now on Kindle Unlimited, or just $2.99 for purchase on eBook/$12.99 in beautiful matte covered paperback.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1701845431
Thursday, October 31, 2019
"Big Things Have Small Beginnings"
When I set out to write my debut novel I knew that there was going to be an incredible learning curve for me. All my life I had been used to writing short stories of 8,000 words or less. The only other time I attempted to write a full length novel I got hung up around 42,000 words and the manuscript is still tucked away in a closet.
Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett takes place in a very limited environment, not only because I wanted to keep things small scale and well paced, but because this introduction to a greater world was meant to feel like someone making a gradual transition from our world into a universe much greater in scale than he could ever imagine. This novel is a bit like uncorking the bottle. Maestri will see the genie set forth. The scale of the follow up will be incredibly vast in scale, by comparison.
This takes absolutely nothing away from MFoDB. It's a taught, closed quarters, slow burn suspenseful horror work in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft and evolves a bit toward a more Clive Barker influenced work near the end of the 3rd act. That really sets the tone of what we can expect in the next chapter of this tale - of which David Bennett is only a small part.
The Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett, now available in paperback, ebook, and free with Kindle Unlimited!
Take a chance, and read a few pages. I bet you just might be enticed to read further.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1701845431
Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett takes place in a very limited environment, not only because I wanted to keep things small scale and well paced, but because this introduction to a greater world was meant to feel like someone making a gradual transition from our world into a universe much greater in scale than he could ever imagine. This novel is a bit like uncorking the bottle. Maestri will see the genie set forth. The scale of the follow up will be incredibly vast in scale, by comparison.
This takes absolutely nothing away from MFoDB. It's a taught, closed quarters, slow burn suspenseful horror work in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft and evolves a bit toward a more Clive Barker influenced work near the end of the 3rd act. That really sets the tone of what we can expect in the next chapter of this tale - of which David Bennett is only a small part.
The Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett, now available in paperback, ebook, and free with Kindle Unlimited!
Take a chance, and read a few pages. I bet you just might be enticed to read further.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1701845431
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Becoming the Thing I Hate
Confession time:
I used to be a salesman.
A Schwann's salesman.
I hated it.
I hated myself.
I'm not a salesman. I have a real hard time interacting with people. I am about as introverted as it gets. I come across as cold and aloof and people think that I hate them and it really bled through into my somewhat brief career of selling frozen treats door to door. I don't hate people. I hate talking to people. Does that make sense?
So, I am still a salesman.
I make chain mail armor and jewelry and sell it at craft shows around the Midwest. It started out as a necessity for income ten years ago. It quickly grew into my main job.
I. Still. Hate. Selling stuff.
So, it's that time in my life where I get the joy of learning how to sell a new product. I have ordered my first shipment of author copies and already called local libraries and booked a craft show in December in which I will be selling my books.
Whoa boy. Hyperventilating. People interaction while trying to teach myself how to sell books.
Unfortunately, in the modern world, an author has to be willing to step outside their sphere of comfort to succeed at their craft. It doesn't matter whether you are self published or signed to a traditional agency - odds are you're going to be responsible for doing a lot of your own marketing to get copies of your book moving off shelves.
So, next week after my books arrive, I will force myself to become more social and more visible...for a while. I will begin offering a few copies out there for honest reviews, and awkwardly calling bookstores in my area to see if they would be willing to meet in person to discuss the possibility of stocking my book. The entire time I will be staving off anxiety attacks. It's a sacrifice that I, as an author now, have to be willing to make.
Life would be so much easier if I could just pay someone to go out and do this for me. I asked my daughter if she wanted to do it and she just stared at me over her sketchpad. My son enthusiastically volunteered to go out and sell my book for me, but I had to remind him that he's only 3. He eventually conceded that point with great reluctance.
You're not alone if you are struggling to sell your book out there. Just don't psych yourself out. Don't think that it is easier for some people than it is for others. It really isn't. Everyone walks through the mud to get the gold at the end of the rainbow. If anyone takes anything from this rambling post, I hope it's that your misery is shared. Keep on trying to market, writing, and eventually you will get to where you want to be. The world can't ignore you forever.
Speaking of marketing...please check out my book!
The Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett, available now in Paperback and Kindle (included in Kindle Unlimited) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1701845431
I used to be a salesman.
A Schwann's salesman.
I hated it.
I hated myself.
I'm not a salesman. I have a real hard time interacting with people. I am about as introverted as it gets. I come across as cold and aloof and people think that I hate them and it really bled through into my somewhat brief career of selling frozen treats door to door. I don't hate people. I hate talking to people. Does that make sense?
So, I am still a salesman.
I make chain mail armor and jewelry and sell it at craft shows around the Midwest. It started out as a necessity for income ten years ago. It quickly grew into my main job.
I. Still. Hate. Selling stuff.
So, it's that time in my life where I get the joy of learning how to sell a new product. I have ordered my first shipment of author copies and already called local libraries and booked a craft show in December in which I will be selling my books.
Whoa boy. Hyperventilating. People interaction while trying to teach myself how to sell books.
Unfortunately, in the modern world, an author has to be willing to step outside their sphere of comfort to succeed at their craft. It doesn't matter whether you are self published or signed to a traditional agency - odds are you're going to be responsible for doing a lot of your own marketing to get copies of your book moving off shelves.
So, next week after my books arrive, I will force myself to become more social and more visible...for a while. I will begin offering a few copies out there for honest reviews, and awkwardly calling bookstores in my area to see if they would be willing to meet in person to discuss the possibility of stocking my book. The entire time I will be staving off anxiety attacks. It's a sacrifice that I, as an author now, have to be willing to make.
Life would be so much easier if I could just pay someone to go out and do this for me. I asked my daughter if she wanted to do it and she just stared at me over her sketchpad. My son enthusiastically volunteered to go out and sell my book for me, but I had to remind him that he's only 3. He eventually conceded that point with great reluctance.
You're not alone if you are struggling to sell your book out there. Just don't psych yourself out. Don't think that it is easier for some people than it is for others. It really isn't. Everyone walks through the mud to get the gold at the end of the rainbow. If anyone takes anything from this rambling post, I hope it's that your misery is shared. Keep on trying to market, writing, and eventually you will get to where you want to be. The world can't ignore you forever.
Speaking of marketing...please check out my book!
The Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett, available now in Paperback and Kindle (included in Kindle Unlimited) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1701845431
Monday, October 28, 2019
The Easy Way Out (World Building)
When I set out to write Morbid Fascinations of David Bennett I knew that I didn't want to bite off more than I could chew. I was going to be pressed for time and suffering through a myriad of distractions and the last thing that I wanted to do was find myself in over my head and frustrated to the point where I would abandon my manuscript.
One of the first things that I decided to do, with world building, was set the story in a mostly real environment. Thus, northern Michigan, I apologize for inflicting this tale upon you.
Oh, I knew there were dangers in doing something like that. I have fictionalized street (and some other location) names, but anyone familiar with the area is going to know exactly where this book takes place.
This approach became a double edged sword because it freed up my time to dedicate toward character and story development without having to create and learn an entire new world, but it also influenced how my character treated his environment. In the original draft, David had much more contempt and loathing for the particular area in which he found himself. He considered it a hillbilly haven and didn't want anything to do with the locals.
Realizing that I would be offending a whole geographic location of people with this approach I tamed it down quite a bit. Basically, David really doesn't interact with locals beyond a basic need to. It's too difficult for him to come back to this place that he once called home and face the memories that he associates with the area. He felt used by so many people and dragged down into the seedy lifestyle that is all too common in that area. Instead of dwelling on it, he ignores it.
It's an artistic sacrifice that I felt was worth the cost of giving myself a relatively easy canvas to paint upon with my debut novel. In the end it was a successful approach.
The sequel is much more fantastical and fictionalized. I don't plan on holding back too many punches in the next round.
Now available with matchbook! Buy the paperback and get the kindle edition for 0.99.
https://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Fascinations-David-Bennett-ebook/dp/B07ZG4N2
One of the first things that I decided to do, with world building, was set the story in a mostly real environment. Thus, northern Michigan, I apologize for inflicting this tale upon you.
Oh, I knew there were dangers in doing something like that. I have fictionalized street (and some other location) names, but anyone familiar with the area is going to know exactly where this book takes place.
This approach became a double edged sword because it freed up my time to dedicate toward character and story development without having to create and learn an entire new world, but it also influenced how my character treated his environment. In the original draft, David had much more contempt and loathing for the particular area in which he found himself. He considered it a hillbilly haven and didn't want anything to do with the locals.
Realizing that I would be offending a whole geographic location of people with this approach I tamed it down quite a bit. Basically, David really doesn't interact with locals beyond a basic need to. It's too difficult for him to come back to this place that he once called home and face the memories that he associates with the area. He felt used by so many people and dragged down into the seedy lifestyle that is all too common in that area. Instead of dwelling on it, he ignores it.
It's an artistic sacrifice that I felt was worth the cost of giving myself a relatively easy canvas to paint upon with my debut novel. In the end it was a successful approach.
The sequel is much more fantastical and fictionalized. I don't plan on holding back too many punches in the next round.
Now available with matchbook! Buy the paperback and get the kindle edition for 0.99.
https://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Fascinations-David-Bennett-ebook/dp/B07ZG4N2
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Atmosphere and Immersion
One of the questions that I get all the time is 'Where do you write?'
It's a good question, considering that I share a 2000 sq ft house with two children, a patient spouse, and 3 cats that don't know the meaning of 'personal space.'
First of all, I'm not the kind of writer who blocks off 6 or 8 hours a day to write. I'm lucky if I can find 45 to 60 minutes in a day to write. Usually I wait until my wife is putting our 3 year old to bed and I just grab my Chromebook and plop down on the couch to bang out 1200-1500 words per day. That's not a lot but I aim to write at least 5 days a week and NEVER take more than 2 consecutive days off, because I feel like it really causes me to detach from my story. I don't like that feeling of being behind in my own story and needing to get back inside the characters' heads.
Once in a while when I get to a particularly challenging or intense scene I will waddle up to my theater and enjoy the silence for a while. Sure, I write better when I'm in that kind of environment but usually it isn't a big enough difference to warrant setting up a home office, again. I had one of those once. It was grotesquely underused and my cats eventually claimed it as their own. The room was eventually converted into a movie theater. Much better use of the space.
On occasion I will also plug in earbuds and listen to recordings of thunderstorms while I write. For me, it is an excellent way of blocking out the noise of the world around me and setting my mood for writing some proper horror.
Does it work? You be the judge.
Available in paperback or Kindle (included with Kindle Unlimited for free!)
https://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Fascinations-David-Bennett-ebook/dp/B07ZG4N2XB
The paperback turned out beautifully done, with a soft matte finish cover.
It's a good question, considering that I share a 2000 sq ft house with two children, a patient spouse, and 3 cats that don't know the meaning of 'personal space.'
First of all, I'm not the kind of writer who blocks off 6 or 8 hours a day to write. I'm lucky if I can find 45 to 60 minutes in a day to write. Usually I wait until my wife is putting our 3 year old to bed and I just grab my Chromebook and plop down on the couch to bang out 1200-1500 words per day. That's not a lot but I aim to write at least 5 days a week and NEVER take more than 2 consecutive days off, because I feel like it really causes me to detach from my story. I don't like that feeling of being behind in my own story and needing to get back inside the characters' heads.
Once in a while when I get to a particularly challenging or intense scene I will waddle up to my theater and enjoy the silence for a while. Sure, I write better when I'm in that kind of environment but usually it isn't a big enough difference to warrant setting up a home office, again. I had one of those once. It was grotesquely underused and my cats eventually claimed it as their own. The room was eventually converted into a movie theater. Much better use of the space.
On occasion I will also plug in earbuds and listen to recordings of thunderstorms while I write. For me, it is an excellent way of blocking out the noise of the world around me and setting my mood for writing some proper horror.
Does it work? You be the judge.
Available in paperback or Kindle (included with Kindle Unlimited for free!)
https://www.amazon.com/Morbid-Fascinations-David-Bennett-ebook/dp/B07ZG4N2XB
The paperback turned out beautifully done, with a soft matte finish cover.
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